​When I started this paper flower journey I had no idea I would have come as far as I have. I had no inclination that one day I'd be sitting here facing some big life changes that will ultimately steer all of what lays out in front of me for our future.•Before I get to where this paper flower journey is going let me take you back to where it all began.•Nine years ago I was faced with a decision that I never saw coming when it comes to what I pictured motherhood would entail. Our son was 3 at the time, we had just picked a cute little preschool for him to attend, one that we could barely afford but one that we felt would be a great fit. Fast forward 2 months later, I get a call from the daycare/preschool owner. She suggests that I come sit in on a class with them to see why she suggests we find a new preschool. Little did I know that day would change the course of my entire working career and our lives. (Not that working retail is a career per-say, but it was steady income).I saw a happy boy, content to explore the world, to figure out why all the things do what they do.They say an unruly child, one that did not follow directions when it was time to sit still in a circle and read stories, a boy that loved to run like crazy when it was time for recess.•That was the day that we took a different route and I stayed home with our perfect little wild child while my husband took on the finances.•That was also the day that it opened up the doors to selling handmade goods on a not completely we'll known (yet) platform called Etsy.........

Once I decided that there was absolutely no way that I would subject my little boy to another group of adults that didn't have his best interest in mind, then it was my turn to make both parenting and helping contribute to the household my priority.•I started my very first Etsy shop after the gut wrenching experience. At the time I was super in to photography so I decided to start there. I love taking photos of anything nature related and am essentially addicted to getting a bugs eye view of the forest floor. Mushrooms, lichen, flowers and other pnw scenes were loaded up and awaiting their first buyers. There was crickets for a bit and then my sweet cousin from Alaska bought a few prints for her home. I did a little victory dance and kept hoping for a break.•No luck, sunshine.•While I was waiting for all of those prints to start flying off the shelves I decided to add crochet to my shop. I listed scarves and hats for all sorts of styles. Ooh and I even made small rugs out of scrap carhartt jeans my husband had completely thrashed while working his bum off.•I started to sell a few scarves and hats. They weren't flying off the shelves either, the market was over saturated with stores that sold them for the same price that materials were. Err at least I kept telling myself that's why they weren't selling like hot cakes......

​I struggled for about a year trying to figure out how I could make stuff with my hands and actually make money.•It wasn't until January of 2011 that things started to go on a direction that ultimately lead to today. But honestly I learned so much about how persistence truly paid off, how even though I wasn't rolling in the cash that I could move forward and keep trying new things until something gave. I did not give up, I just knew deep down that I could make this work. That's not to say I put all of my eggs in one basket. I took up side jobs, I worked on the weekends at a sporting goods store, I delivered flowers for a local flower shop and I took on cleaning a vacation rental for our landlord.•In January of 2011 my husband and I decided to finally get married after 6 years of engagement. (Long story short, that man proposed to me 5 short months after we started dating) We decided to get married when my older sister, who I hadn't seen since I was 7 years old, would be visiting.•So short notice wedding, set for June 4th. We were living paycheck to paycheck, just making it by so I decided that I would be making all of the decor. (Relatives pitched in a few last minute details, because their freaking amazing).•One big check on my list was to make our wedding invitations scrapbook style. They were simple, a few layers of pretty paper and all the details were printed out on vellum.•While I was researching invitations, I stumbled upon a few paper flower tutorials. I wasn't in a place to play with the designs but it left me intrigued...….

Fast forward, we had the best wedding that really reflected what we love. Lots of relatives and close friends. We rented out a group campground and stayed the night. Super chill, super us. •We got back from our honeymoon in Kauai (uhh ps After that I officially wanted to move to a tropical place) and things were wildly boring after all the excitement of planning a wedding and exploring an island. I started searching the web again for ideas on handmade goods. Then I remembered those paper flowers, I bet I could make those and sell them.•The entrepreneur in me decided that this was my next venture and I dug in. My very first flower was an origami flower called a kusudama. I got really really good at making them, like I had a box of about 500 of them by the end of July in varying sizes and paper patterns to prove it. Once I got really good at them I started to make simple round bridal bouquets. I listed my first bridal bouquet by July and wouldn't you know it, I got a message asking if I could make something similar but with custom colors only a few weeks after I listed it. A total strange trusted me, little ol' me to make a bouquet for their wedding, THEIR WEDDING!•After that very first interaction I was hooked. The rush of excitement when we discussed her bouquet, I made it, and then she freaking loved it, that right there had me. From that moment I knew that I had something I could pursue...

I'll be honest the first few years were rough, I still worked all of my side jobs. I made about $3,000 my first year in business and every year that followed my income doubled. (Along with my hours) I hadn't quite learned about this thing called profitable pricing.•At this time our son was old enough to go to elementary school and he had a great team of teachers that were part of his individualized education plan. It was still rough, we struggled with decisions like whether or not we should medicate him for his ADHD or not. We tried it when he was only 5, it only lasted about 2 months before I decided to take another route and try food. Well the picky eater that is our son really gave it hell. So we just dealt with it the best we knew how.•As he got older we struggled some more as his peers started to mature. We gave medication another go when he started 4th grade. This time it went much more smoothly and up until he was in 6th grade it was a part of our daily life. The reports from school got better, but we still had behavioral hiccups every now and again. But as parents it was hard to justify the benefits with the side effects.•He was skinny as a rail, his temper was usually hot and you could just feel that he was irritated all the time. The medication may have helped him slow down enough to sit relatively still (the boy still had wiggle seats and kick bands provided by the school) but he would stare through you. His sense of humor was dulled. It just wasn't our son the way he was meant to be....

After a truly terrible year in our first year of middle school. About half way through the year my husband and I decided that I would take on the roll of teacher. This. Was. Terrifying. I mean like all the things that could happen ran through my head. I let my husband know my concerns, "I don't feel like I'm patient enough for this" , "I might literally holler at him constantly out of frustration!" "How will he make friends or get "socialization"? You know all the things that are real concerns for any parent.•I was cool on the outside but in full panic mode on the inside. How will I do this with a full timepaper flower shop? How will I find "me" time? To be honest I was being pretty selfish in all of my doubts. I knew deep down that this was the right decision. I was just scared of change.•After we had a bit of a game plan I started figuring out how I could support the loss of income by taking on less custom orders. Out of this @paperflowersupplies was born. It's taken a very long time to build up to make any profit as all of the profits have gone back into building up inventory. Soo not quite the turn around I was ultimately thinking.•Fast forward, it's November 2018. Joni and I have made it through our first 3 months of online public homeschool (definitely not ready to come up with my own schedule, this has been a good fit for us). We haven't killed each other, although I can't say I didn't yell a bit. (I never said I didn't have a lot to learn on this journey too. 😉)•Come November I was tired, burnt out, ready to throw in the towel. I commend all teachers and the mental strain it must take to teach kids every day. (They deserve all the raises.) Ok, it's November, and I get this urge to give in, but there is this little voice that seems to be shouting at me. "No more custom orders, it's time to let that go!" So I set out with a new game plan, you see this business I've slowly created, it always seems to evolve into something that has taken care of us. As we've grown, it's also grown. •Now that you've thoroughly heard my "why" and what has lead to this super big decision, I'd like to spill the beans!! Please bare with me while I continue the story over at: https://mywoollymammoth.teachable.com/​​